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I should OBVIOUSLY be posting something …ummm…worth reading. BUT I’m feeling pretty tired and a-wee-bit uninspired this evening, SO I decided to post my work uniform from this afternoon.  A true Cleveland-lovers outfit if I do say so myself.

Cavs Snuggie | Cleveland OH | iCarabout.com

Yes, I’m well aware that it was about 60 degrees out today and not really “Snuggie” weather. I have no idea why I’m always cold! I wore this all day with my portable heater next to me at work. LOL! Everyone who came in had a little chuckle at my expense too. It’s always nice to make people smile, even if it’s because they think I’m ridiculous.

PS…I’m never taking this thing off. It’s the most comfortable thing in the world.

Tags: Cavs, Cavs Snuggie Night, Cleveland OH, iCarabout.com, Snuggie, Winter

As I’m sure most of you have already heard (via Twitter/Facebook), I was chosen by the Downtown Cleveland Alliance last week to be a 2010 City Advocate! I cannot express how excited I am about the opportunity to work with such an AMAZING organization, right here in the city I love.

Downtown Cleveland Alliance | Cleveland OH | iCarabout.com

I noticed that a lot of people were curious about DCA, what they do and what a “City Advocate” was.  So, I decided to post some links on here all about it! Plus, I think it’s important to share the positive things that Clevelanders are doing for our city!  Just look at what a group of passionate people can accomplish if they band together and are proactive!

Again, thanks to all of you for the congrats!  I look forward to the amazing projects I can become involved in, the positive changes I can be a part of and passionate Clevelanders I will meet!

Here is what the Downtown Cleveland Alliance is all about.

Here is what the DCA City Advocates Program is all about.

PS – Follow the awesome things DCA does on twitter at @DowntownCLE

Tags: Cleveland OH, DCA City Advocates, Downtown Cleveland Alliance, iCarabout.com

I know I’ve written about The Greenhouse Tavern before and tweeted about them PLENTY, but I just can’t help myself. It’s truly one of my top 5 restaurants in Cleveland…and pretty much my foodie obsession the past year.

Months back, I decided that a perfect Christmas gift for my parents would be a gift certificate to my new favorite CLE restaurant. I wanted to share with them the wonderful experience that Jason and myself had already had in the Fall. Well, I don’t know if they were saving it for some particular reason, but this past weekend they finally got around to using it!

The Greenhouse Tavern | Cleveland OH | iCarabout.com

Needless to say, they were VERY happy with even happier bellies. And I was right! Even though they hadn’t used it until March, it was still the perfect gift! What’s even cooler was that they got to see The Greenhouse Tavern featured on “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” (Food Network) for their gravy frites just the night before they visited the restaurant! That really bumped up the excitement level (not that they really needed it) and gave them an idea of what they wanted to try.

The Greenhouse Tavern | Cleveland OH | iCarabout.com

So, instead of going overboard and writing yet ANOTHER post about my opinion of The Greenhouse, I asked my Mom to guest post her own little review! Here’s what she had to say:

Kudo’s to our wonderful and smart daughter Cara for her great taste!

This last Christmas she gave us a gift certificate to The Greenhouse Tavern on East 4th St. Needless to say my husband and I were pretty excited to go, especially when just this last Friday the restaurant was featured on the Food Network channel.

We met up with some friends at The Greenhouse bar on Saturday night. We were brought upstairs through the back of the restaurant to a wonderful table on the balcony overlooking everything. Really cozy. Our waiter was extremely knowledgeable about the menu items and answered all of our questions. My friends Linda, Barb and I ordered the hanger steak which came with the pommes frites. Linda’s husband John and my husband Steve ordered the freshly ground Ohio beef burger which included preserved tomato, raclette cheese, and the famous fries with homemade beer vinegar. John ordered the “famous” gravy frites with the cheese and gravy. Ron ordered the pork chops. He had already made up his mind while waiting at the bar after seeing the guy next to him get them.

Well, I would have to agree with the show on Food Network, those frites were the best thing I have ever ate. Everyone at the table felt the same way. I don’t know if it’s because they are fried twice or because of the duck fat. John let all of us taste the fries with the gravy and cheese. Yum ! My hanger steak was juicy, tender and done to perfection. The other ladies were pretty pleased too. John and my husband loved the burgers and Ron was pretty quiet as he enjoyed his chops!

Now I’m not one to pass on dessert and thank god this crowd doesn’t either. Nothing worse than eating dessert by yourself. Barbara ordered the chocolate tart, while Linda, John and I ordered the chocolate Pot de crème. I reluctantly shared this heavenly concoction with my husband. One was definitely not enough. We joked that we could eat about five of these  and the funny thing was, I wasn’t joking!

We are looking forward to another visit to try another wonderful creation on the menu.

So there you have it! Yet again, The Greenhouse Tavern ceases to impress and makes us all VERY #HappyinCLE. I also think I may have created a couple of Greenhouse monsters! (AKA, my parents!)

Tags: Cleveland OH, Cleveland Winter Date Night Ideas, Date Night Ideas, East 4th Street, Food Network, Gravy Frites, Hanger Steak, Ohio Beef Burger, Pommes Frites, restaurants, Steak Frites, The Best Thing I Ever Ate, The Greenhouse

I’m not sure who has heard about the  Midnight Art Project this Saturday (March 13th – the night before the Boston/Cavs game), BUT I’M SO IN!

Who’s with me?!

It’s hosted by Project Bleve, and I’ve got to say, I’m pretty inspired! This is exactly why I’m so proud of our city on a everyday basis. It is amazing to me to find how much this passion is shared across Cleveland. These positive little steps are great boosts and only show others how proud we are in ourselves.

Thank you to all at Project Bleve who came up with this positive/fun/creative concept.

Check out more info in Bleve’s video:

Would anyone like to join me?

Tags: Boston Celtics, Cavs, Clevleand OH, LeBron, Project Bleve

There are TONS of things us Clevelanders can boast about our city.  At the top of that list is, of course, our theatre district, talent and arts! Well, thanks to The Cleveland Play House, I got to experience this amazing part of Cleveland. 

This past week, Jason and I were looking for a fun date night idea for Friday. Something new, fun and supportive of the culture of CLE. It just so happens that I was lucky enough to score some tickets to “Emma” at The Cleveland Play House. Now, I don’t know how many of you venture out to the East side of Cleveland for a night out on the town, but I recommend you try it soon. Other than the traffic being consistently annoying, that area has SO MUCH TO OFFER!

The Cleveland Play House | iCarabout.com

So, with our tickets in hand, Jason and I set out to find a new restaurant to explore in Cleveland Heights before the show. We both decided on Taste and I think I can honestly say that we were BOTH very glad we did. The restaurant itself had super-chic styling and it made you feel like you needed to be on a list to get inside (but in a good way). The staff was warm, friendly and personable, which balanced that “exclusive” feel. We struck up a conversation with our waitress right off the bat and mentioned that we had a show to catch.  Even though we were in a hurry, she didn’t make us feel rushed at all.  The food came out fast, and MY GOD, was it tasty. Jason and I both picked the specials of the evening: Grilled Tuna and the Rib-eye Steak. One thing I noticed was that the taste of the steak and tuna weren’t covered up by an overwhelming sauce or spice. Both were cooked perfectly with complimentary flavors, creating the perfect balance for your palette. I even have to admit a FAIL on my part. I was really excited to get a shot of the food for you guys, but when it got to the table my desire to devour it overcame the excitement to get the picture. LOL. 

Taste Restaurant | Cleveland OH | iCarabout.com

By the way, Taste also has a PHENOMENAL wine/champagne list. What’s even better than that? A KNOWLEDGEABLE staff to come a long with it. I love tasting new wines, but do I know all about them? NOPE! Taste’s staff new ever description to the “T” and I couldn’t help overhearing the waitress talk about the selections with passion and great understanding.  And double plus (in my book at least), they’re also utilizing social media to reach their diners. Check out Taste on facebook. 

Taste Restaurant | Cleveland OH | iCarabout.com

After our extremely satisfying feast, Jason and I rolled over to The Cleveland Play House to catch “Emma”. I have to admit, I really didn’t know the story that well before we got there, but honestly, it didn’t matter!  The show was so cute, the cast was engaging, funny and just awesome. The story was also pretty easy to follow for someone with hardly any future knowledge. It reminded me just a little of “Pride and Prejudice”, which I love, and is also a novel by the same author, Jane Austen. It wasn’t too “girlie” or “romantic” either. It was more like a witty, romantic comedy, and very man-friendly. (In other words, your BF won’t be snoring through it).

I’m no “play critic” by ANY MEANS, but I thoroughly enjoyed the show. I think Jason and I may have been the youngest couple there, which is a shame. We had a blast and would definitely recommend enjoying the theatre art talents of our city to anyone of any age. It’s truly a tremendous feeling to watch live show with actors who you can see the passion pouring out of. Plus, how many movies to we sit and watch? I mean, it’s SUCH a different experience to be engaged in a live show. 

The Cleveland Play House | Cleveland OH | iCarabout.com

What makes it even better, they serve cocktails that you can bring into the show! Yep! We were very excited about that! Besides, not too many movie theaters offer up that luxury.  (Not that we needed to get tipsy to enjoy the show)

So, PLEASE, try spicing up your date night with a little homegrown talent and culture at The Cleveland Play House. Oh, and why not try checking out some fun spots on the East side?  I mean, if you listen to me, you already have a fantastic restaurant to try and an engaging, fun, activity. What do you have to lose? 

PS. Cleveland Play House is ALSO on twitter (MAD PROPS FOR THAT) and it was how I originally learned about the show. Once again, social media working for you!

Tags: Cleveland Heights, Cleveland Ohio, Date Night, Emma, Jane Austen, Romantic Date Night Ideas, Taste Restaurant, The Cleveland Play House